Zeke

Van shoulder tapped me to get my attention then pointed to the club across the street. “Our guy went in there fifteen minutes ago. He’s still in there.”

Tomas had called in his marker. He wanted payment for the information he gave.

I nodded, pulled my gun from the waistband of my jeans, checking it, then hunkered down. The guy we were here for worked muscle for a local dealer. Tomas wanted the mark trussed up and delivered to him at one of his warehouses, and a guarantee that nothing would lead back to him. Which is why he chose to use me instead of one of his own men. This was personal for Tomas. I didn’t know all the details, but I did know this guy had taken his fists to his woman, beaten her so bad he’d nearly killed her, a woman Tomas had a personal interest in. In my book, that made this guy a fucking low piece of shit. He more than deserved what was coming to him. I’d planned to do this alone, but Van insisted on taking my back.

I stared across at the club’s door. Sitting still wasn’t really working for me, though. My head wasn’t in a good place. I recognized this, understood it, and compartmentalized it, or tried to. Like I’d been doing since I got home from Afghanistan. My men came first on any mission, always, not my desire to run headfirst into whatever shit-storm came out of that club. I was struggling with that tonight. In the past, yeah, I’d given the guys reason to think I had a death wish, but I didn’t pull that shit when it could be their asses on the line. Tonight, I wished like fuck I was working solo.

My day had started utter shit. After hours of tossing and turning, Sunny’s scent all over my sheets, I’d torn them off the bed then gone to my gym and worked out until I couldn’t stand anymore, smoked a joint, and passed out on the couch. My mood didn’t improve when I finally got a lead on Kyle Miller and where he’d been bunking down. By the time I got there, the fucker had moved on. My guess, he was spending a night in one place then finding somewhere else. I had no idea what his next move was, or if that move was going to be aimed at Sunny. At least I knew she was safe. Neco and Ruby were keeping an eye on her and during my sparring session with Ruby this morning she told me she’d seen Sunny last night, that she was doing okay. Julia had stepped up and was helping with the shop, which meant Sunny wasn’t alone there during the day. I had cameras on the place and between me and everyone else at the agency, we were keeping eyes on the shop as best we could. I’d prefer she stayed at home until Miller was caught, but I knew that shop was important to her. I also knew I couldn’t tell her to do shit. That wasn’t my place. She’d made that more than clear.

You told her you didn’t want more. She gave you what you asked for.

The door to the club opened and closed and I tensed. Two women walked out giggling. I sat back and continued to watch.

No, Sunny had given me what I deserved.

What was she was doing right now? Was she feeling better? Was she still scared?

Was she sleeping okay without me?

The door opened again and our guy walked out. He wasn’t alone. There were two others with him. Those odds were nothing for Van and me. Van was stone-cold lethal, and I was fucked in the head enough not to give a shit what happened to me. They rounded the club and headed down the side of the building. There was a parking area back there. Nice and dark. We’d even parked our van there to make shit easier for ourselves.

I stood. “Let’s go.”

Van jerked up his chin and we jogged across the street.

We edged up the alley.

“I fucked her in the bathroom,” Our guy was saying. “Bitch tried to tell me no after being a fucking cock tease all night. Taught her not to fuck with me.”

The other two guys laughed.

Van growled beside me. After hearing that, I didn’t want to just hand this fucker to Tomas, I wanted to help tear him apart. We didn’t see any reason to wait, and rounded the corner.

The three of them looked at us as we approached, had no idea who we were, which was another reason Tomas wanted me on this job.

“You want something?” one of them asked, puffing out his chest.

Neither of us answered and kept on toward them. The situation might not be ideal, but this was the only place we’d been able to get close to the guy. He was never alone, which led me to think he knew he was marked. He confirmed this when he reached for his gun. Van and I did the same. His buddy to the right went for his own piece, but Van aimed and fired, winging the guy. He went down with a howl. Van went for cover, and I charged forward, firing off round after round, sending them scattering. I felt a bullet hit my biceps, causing me to jerk back. It was just a graze, and it didn’t slow me down. I kept moving toward my target. Van was firing shots behind me, covering me as best he could. The guy’s other friend, the one not bleeding yet, backed off then spun and ran away. I let him go. He wasn’t what I’d come for.

The shots stopped and I knew our mark was out of ammunition.

I rounded the dumpster he was using for cover and, gun aimed at the asshole’s head, stared him down. “Someone wants a word with you.”

The guy spat at my feet, but didn’t fight too much when Van and I trussed him up and threw him in the back of our van. I drove to Van’s apartment building and waited for him to get out. He didn’t need to be involved in the delivery of this asshole.

Van hadn’t said anything during the drive here, and when he turned to me instead of climbing out, eyes hard, glittering, I knew that was about to change. “You ever pull that shit again, run into fucking gun fire like that, I’ll shoot you myself.”

I said nothing, just stared at him across the shadowed interior.

“You want to fucking kill yourself?” Van hissed. “Well, tough shit, I won’t fucking let you. You hear me? I’m done waiting for you to stop beating yourself up over this shit. None of it was your fucking fault. Do you hear me?”

I didn’t know what to say. He knew my game, he’d have to be blind or stupid not to. I wanted an out, but I was too much of a coward to pull the fucking trigger myself, and since I got home, I had been waiting for someone else to do it for me.

“Shit.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “Do I need to be worried about you tonight? Are you going to do something stupid?” he growled.

I shook my head.

He cursed again and shoved the door open. “We’re not done; this is not done. You need help, Zeke.” Then he climbed out and slammed the door shut behind him and strode into his building.

I dragged a deep breath through my nose, trying to slow my racing heart. Shoving the van in gear, I pulled back out onto the street and headed to the address Tomas had given me. I somehow managed to keep my mind clear, avoiding the land mines threatening to blow my shit apart. I didn’t let myself go there, to the past, to Sunny, to the conversation I’d just had with Van, and stayed focused on the job I had to do.

The building looked dark when I slowed down in front of it. I drove around the back as instructed. There was only one car parked back here. I pulled up and climbed out of the van just as the rear door to the warehouse opened and Tomas’s tall frame filled the space.

I met the other man’s cold eyes. “Where’d you want him?”

He didn’t answer right away. Just slid off his suit jacket and put it on a drum by the door. “Bring him in here.”

I rounded the van, flung open the doors, and dragged the guy out, half carrying him inside since his wrists and ankles were tied and his eyes were covered, also at Tomas’s request.

“Untie him,” Tomas said when he’d shut the door after me.

I did as he asked and glanced around. There was no one else in the warehouse, just the three of us. There was also a table, a chair, and a gym bag on the floor beside it. Whatever was in that bag, meant seriously bad things for the asshole standing beside me. I felt not one shred of sympathy.

“Take off the blindfold,” Tomas said.

I dragged it off and the guy blinked rapidly against the bright light, spotted Tomas, jerked back sharply . . . then pissed himself.

A slow smile curled Tomas’s lips, then he rolled his shirt sleeves up, taking his time. Finally, he strode forward, and for the first time since we were living in that shitty neighborhood, I watched Tomas lose his composure. He snarled then struck out, fist connecting with the other man’s face, then again. His target went down and Tomas fisted the whimpering bastard’s hair and dragged him to the table, manhandling him onto it and securing him to the top.

Finally, he looked over at me. “I can take it from here.”

I dipped my chin, turned, and walked out.

Somehow, I forced myself behind the wheel and headed toward home, even as every part of me demanded I go to Sunny. If ever I needed another human being . . . no, fuck that, not just anyone, her, it was now. Van had called me out tonight, in a big way, and I didn’t know what to do with it. Crawling in beside Sunny, having her turn into me, cheeks pressed against my chest, soft hair tickling my skin, warm curves covering me, was what my body, my mind, was screaming for.

I couldn’t fucking think without her.

Couldn’t breathe.

I sure as hell couldn’t sleep.

I’d thought my life was a hopeless dead end before.

Shit, now? It already felt over.

Sunny

I stared out the window, out onto the street, not really seeing anything. I’d had a visit with Dr. Evans and we worked out that I was around thirteen weeks pregnant, which meant I’d conceived when Zeke and I first started seeing each other. God, I missed him. The last week without him had been more painful than I could have imagined. It was a silly notion. But I couldn’t help think that we, this baby, were meant to be. I’d never been one to think that way or believe in destiny or serendipity or anything like that. But as soon as I’d seen Zeke, I’d been drawn to him. When everyone else had seemed to be avoiding him, I hadn’t been able to stay away.

If I had to have a child alone, I was glad the father of my baby was a man I loved, even if he didn’t love me back. Even if when I told him he decided he didn’t want anything to do with either of us. When my child was old enough, I could tell them about the night we met, how there was something magical that brought us together, that we were meant to be. That might sound absurd to some people—okay, a lot of people—but that’s how I truly felt.

I heard Julia behind me, talking to a customer. She’d been so great. It was like she was a different person without Bobby in her life. Like he’d been pulling her strings for years and she’d finally cut herself free. Neco and Ruby had stopped by Julia’s apartment last night and told me to stay put for a little longer, that as soon as they had this Miller guy off the streets I could go home. Honestly, for now, I was happy where I was. I missed my things, but I was glad for Julia’s support, her company. I needed it more than she knew.

Lulu and Ruby had popped in on their own as well and hung out. I was kind of surprised; I expected them to distance themselves after Zeke and I went our separate ways. Then again, Zeke wasn’t exactly the kind of guy to talk about what was going on in his life. They probably had no idea we weren’t spending time together anymore, and I certainly wasn’t in a hurry to talk about him, or the gaping hole being without him had left.

The door opened and I glanced up . . .

Bobby walked in.

I spun toward Julia. She’d paled.

I stepped forward. “Bobby . . .”

“Mind your damn business, Sunny. This has nothing to do with you. This is between my wife and me.”

I strode to the counter, standing beside Julia, cringing when the only customer we had in the shop quickly left. “Leave or I’ll call the cops,” I said to him.

He ignored me, eyes locked on Julia. “I miss you, baby,” he said. “I’m lost without you. Look at me. I’m a fuckin’ mess.” He took a step closer. “Please, baby. I promise, it’ll never happen again. I’ll never lay another finger on you.”

Julia was frozen at my side.

“I love you, Jules.” he said.

I slid my arm around her shoulders. “If you love someone, you don’t hurt them . . .”

He spun on me. “I told you to shut the fuck up!” he yelled.

Julia jumped.

“Now see what you made me do?” he barked at me. “You made me lose my temper . . .” He took another step closer. “Jules, please, baby.”

“You need to leave,” she said, voice small, broken. “I want you to leave.”

“You don’t mean that. That’s her talking.” He pointed a finger at me. “Not you. You hate that bitch,” he said. “What the hell are you doing with her?”

Julia flinched. “You’re wrong, about everything,” she said. “Sunny’s always been there for me.”

“She’s brainwashed you against me . . . she’s . . .”

“Leave,” I said, lifting my phone and hitting 911. I let my finger hover over the CALL button. “Now.”

He looked at me with so much hatred, it took gargantuan effort not to take a step back. He wasn’t as composed as the last time I’d seen him. The man looked desperate and that’s what scared me the most. That look on his face . . . He was capable of almost anything.

He backed up toward the door, pointing at his wife. “We will never be over, Jules.” Then he pushed through the door and took off down the street.

I pulled her into my side. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head. “He looks . . .” She bit her lip. “Maybe he means it this time, maybe . . .”

I cupped her face. “No, Julia. I know you want to believe that, but you know it’s not true. Bobby will never change, and you deserve so much better than him. So much.”

She burst into tears and I pulled her into my arms and held her while she cried. “I still love him,” she sobbed. “Why do I still love him?”

I shook my head and held her tighter. I wish I knew the answer. I had no idea why our hearts completely ignored our heads, why they set us up for pain, then kept hanging on even after the inevitable happened.

Julia pulled out of my arms and wiped her face on her sleeves. “Thanks, Sunny, for being here for me.”

“Ditto,” I said and gave her another hug.

* * *

“Ready for lunch?” I asked Julia when she finished serving a customer. “I thought maybe we could try something from that new deli down the street?”

She turned to me, a smile on her face. “I’m so in.”

She seemed to have bounced back okay after Bobby’s visit yesterday. We’d had a movie marathon after work. Her to take her mind of her abusive ex, and me to pretend I didn’t have to tell the father of my unborn baby, a man who did not want kids, that I was pregnant and he was the daddy.

“Thought you might be,” I said. “You never could turn down chocolate if I remember right. And I hear they make a mean chocolate cake.”

I walked to the counter and pulled out my purse.

“Oh, you remember right,” she said. “But I think we can safely say, you’re a bigger chocoholic than me.”

I laughed. I’d been craving the stuff in large quantities, served in any way, shape or form, and Julia hadn’t missed this.

Julia handed me some cash. “My treat.”

“You don’t need to do that . . .”

“I want to,” she said.

I smiled and look her money. “My treat next time then. Be back soon.”

I headed out and onto the street. Everything was working out great with Julia here. Well, besides the surprise visits from Bobby, not that that was her fault. I was able to make more jewelry during the day, which meant my evenings were free to do other things. With more stock, I was selling more pieces, and I’d already been making enough to cover both my and Julia’s wages.

I pulled my phone from my bag and checked for messages. Of course there weren’t any. I’d ended things with Zeke, and it looked like he’d taken it to heart.

Now is as good a time as any.

Nerves exploded in my belly and I sucked down a few shaky breaths to work up the courage to hit that button. Don’t be a damn coward.

It was tempting to just text to set up our meeting, but that didn’t feel right. I hit the CALL button before I could chicken out.

The phone rang twice. “Sunny?”

Zeke’s voice was low and gritty and God I’d missed the sound of it.

“Sunny?” he said again. “You okay?”

Speak! I cleared my throat. “Yes, um . . . hi.”

“Is something wrong?” he asked, voice even rougher.

“No, I, ah . . . I was actually wondering if you were free tonight? I have something I need to talk to you about that I’d rather not discus over the phone.”

Silence. Then, “Where?”

“Can you come to the apartment? Julia won’t be there between seven and nine, if you’re free then?”

More silence. “I’ll be there.”

I squeezed the phone tighter. I didn’t want to hang up, I didn’t want to say goodbye. “I’ll see you tonight then?”

“Yeah.”

“Bye, Zeke.”

There was a pause, then finally he said, “Bye, Sunshine.”

It took everything I had in me not to cry as I ended the call and shoved my phone back in my purse. God, that had been so damn hard, and it wasn’t even the hard part yet. How the hell was I going to tell him I was carrying his baby? A hot tear streaked down my face and I quickly dashed it away before anyone saw. Shit.

I bought our lunch and headed back to the shop. I was just crossing the street, nearly at the door, when I heard the rev of an engine. I turned in time to see a car barreling down on me full speed. I screamed as I dove for the sidewalk. I stumbled and fell to my side, hitting the pavement hard.

The car sped past, tires screeching, and disappeared around the corner.

The shop door flew open and Julia rushed out. “Oh my God, Sunny, are you okay?”

My palms were a little scraped and my hip hurt. “I . . . I’m not sure.”

Julia helped me to my feet and led me into the shop. She sat me down in the chair by the counter. I could see the fear in her eyes. “Someone tried to run you down. Holy shit, Sunny, you could have been killed.”

I sat there stunned, pretty sure I was in shock. My hand dropped to my belly. “I hit the ground hard. My baby. What if I hurt the baby when I fell?”

Julia took my phone from me and hit a few buttons. “I’ll call your doctor.” I listened while she called Dr. Evans and explained what happened. As long as I wasn’t in any pain, she thought I would be okay, but to let her know if that changed.

Julia hit another number and waited. “Ruby?”

She quickly told Ruby what happened with the car. When she hung up and looked over at me. “Ruby wants us leave the shop now in case it’s not safe. She said for us come to the agency, they’ll watch your store security footage there. She’s hoping they’ll be able to ID the guy who was driving.”

We quickly locked up and left, Julia tucking me against her side and leading me out to get a cab.

As we drove across the city my mind raced and fear was a tight coil in my stomach.

Someone had just tried to kill me.